Introduction. The posterior condylar axis of the knee is the most common reference for femoral anteversion. However, the posterior condyles, nor the transepicondylar axis, provide a functional description of femoral anteversion, and their appropriateness as the ideal reference has been questioned. In a natural standing positon, the femur can be internally or externally rotated, altering the functional anteversion of the native femoral neck or prosthetic stem. Uemura et al. found that the femur internally rotates by 0.4° as femoral anteversion increases every 1°. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between femoral anteversion and the axial rotation of the femur before and after total hip replacement (THR). Method. Fifty-nine patients had a pre-operative CT scan as part of their routine planning for THR. The patients were asked to lie in a comfortable position in the CT scanner. The internal/external rotation of the femur, described as the angle between the posterior condyles and the CT coronal plane, was measured. The native femoral neck anteversion, relative to the posterior condyles, was also determined. Identical measurements were performed at one-week post-op using the same CT methodology. The relationship between femoral IR/ER and femoral anteversion was studied pre- and post-op. Additionally, the effect of changing anteversion on the axial rotation of the femur was investigated. Results. There was a strong correlation between axial rotation of the femur and femoral anteversion, both pre-and post-operatively. Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.64 and 0.66 respectively. This supported Uemura et al.'s findings that internal rotation of the femur increases with increasing anteversion. Additionally, there was a moderate correlation, r = 0.56, between the change in axial rotation of the femur and change in anteversion. This trend suggested that external rotation of the leg would increase, if stem anteversion was decreased from the native. Conclusions. Patients with high femoral anteversion may have a natural mechanism of “correction” with femoral internal rotation. Equally, patients with femoral retroversion tend to naturally externally rotate their leg. Decreasing stem anteversion from native, trended toward an increase in external rotation of the femur. This finding is supported by the clinical observation of patients with high anteversion and compensatory in-toe, who have normal foot progression angle post-operatively after having their anteversion decreased. These findings have implications when planning implant alignment in THR

Purpose. Incidence of malrotation of femoral fractures after intramedullary nailing is as high as 28%. Prevention of malrotation is superior to late derotation osteotomy. The lesser trochanter (LT) profile has been in use for some time as a radiographic landmark of femoral rotation. One of the authors has previously described a linear regression model that describes the relationship of the LT to rotation. This paper aims to validate the use of this equation in predicting femoral rotation. Method. A survey was created and circulated online. Twenty images of cadaveric femurs of known rotation were chosen randomly from a large series. Thirty individuals with varying degrees of orthopaedic experience were invited to participate. Participants were asked to take measurements of the LT in a standardized fashion. Inter-observer variation for predicted rotation and the precision of predicted rotation was calculated. Results were grouped into those with the LT readily visible and those with the LT hidden by the femoral shaft. Results. A pilot study found the standard deviation for films with the LT hidden was 10.8 degrees, and only 6.0 degrees for films with the LT visible. The mean difference between the predicted and actual rotation was equally high in both groups (18.3 and 17.3 degrees respectively). Conclusion. Preliminary results found that the LT must be clearly visible to predict femoral rotation. This suggests that the surgeon should place the femur in a neutral or externally rotated position. In a favourable position most predictions were within a 6.0 degree spread, which would be sufficient to prevent a fifteen degree malrotation. Predicted rotation was however not precise enough to prevent a fifteen degree malrotation, regardless of LT visibility. The precision of predicted rotation may be improved by using a non-linear model. Such a model has recently been designed by a group of engineers at the University of Manitoba. The r squared value of the non-linear model was 0.88, in comparison to 0.78 for the linear equation. Precision may be further improved by using the contra-lateral LT for comparison

Introduction & aims. Correct prosthetic alignment is important to the longevity and function of a total hip replacement (THR). With the growth of 3-dimensional imaging for planning and assessment of THR, the importance of restoring, not just leg length and medial offset, but anterior offset has been raised. The change in anterior offset will be influenced by femoral anteversion, but there are also other factors that will affect the overall change after THR. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anterior offset and stem anteversion to determine the extent to which changing anteversion influences anterior offset. Method. Sixty patients received a preoperative CT scan as part of their routine planning for THR (Optimized Ortho, Sydney). All patients received a Trinity cementless shell and a cemented TaperFit stem (Corin, UK) by the senior author through an anterolateral approach. Stem anteversion was positioned intraoperatively to align with cup anteversion via a modified Ranawat test. Postoperatively, patients received a CT scan which was superimposed onto the pre-op CT scan. The difference between native and achieved stem anteversion was measured, along with the 3-dimensional change in head centre from pre-to post-op. Finally, the relationship between change in stem anteversion and change in anterior offset was investigated. Results. Mean change in anterior offset was −2.3mm (−14.0 to 7.0mm). Mean change in anteversion from native was −3.0° (−18.8° to 10.5°). There was a strong correlation between change in anterior offset and change in anteversion, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.89. A 1° increase in anteversion equated to a 0.7mm increase in anterior offset. Conclusions. A change in the anteroposterior position of the femoral head is primarily affected by a change in stem anteversion, with a 1° increase in anteversion equating to a 0.7mm increase in anterior offset. The AP position of the stem in the canal, along with the flexion of the stem will also contribute. Given the well-recognised influence of leg length, medial offset and combined anteversion on restoring hip function, it seems reasonable to assume that anterior offset will also have a significant effect on the biomechanics of the replaced hip

Introduction. Positioning of a femoral sizing guide has been cited as being a critical intraoperative step during measured-resection based TKA as it determines femoral component rotation. Consequently, modern femoral sizing guides permit surgeons to ‘dial in’ external rotation when placing the guide. Although this feature facilitates guide placement, its effect on posterior femoral condylar resection and flexion gap stability is unknown. This study examines the effect of rotation on posterior femoral condylar resection among different posterior-referencing TKA designs. Methods. Left-sided posterior-referencing femoral sizing guides and cutting blocks from nine posterior-referencing femoral sizing guides belonging to six TKA manufacturers were collected. Each guide underwent high-resolution photography at a setting of zero, three and greater than three degrees of external rotation. The axis of rotation for each guide was then identified and its location from the posterior condylar axis was recorded (figure). Cutting blocks from each system were then photographed and the amount of posterior condylar resection from the medial and lateral condyles was calculated for each setting of external rotation (figure). The posterior resection was then compared to the standard distal resections for each system. Results. Two sizing guides had axes of rotation that were eccentrically located and in proximity to the posterior condylar axis, six were centrally based and one was slightly eccentric. Axis of rotation location had substantial effects on posterior condylar resection. Guides with centrally-based axes tended to resect more medial posterior condyle and less lateral condyle as rotation increased. Guides with eccentric axes tended to resect either less lateral or more medial condyle only. Discussion. This study is the first to investigate femoral rotation and posterior condylar resection, and the first to compare different sizing guide designs. Our results indicate that guides with centrally-based axes of rotation increase medial condylar resection as external rotation increases. This increased resection may unintentionally create a larger flexion gap in the case of a valgus knee

Background. When positioning and rotating the femoral cutting block (AP) on the femur it can either be done according to bony landmarks (measured resection) or by tensioning the flexion gap and positioning it parallel to the tibia (gap balanced technique.) Accurate rotation of the femoral component is essential to ensure a symmetric flexion gap to ensure optimal tibio-femoral kinematics and patello-femoral tracking. Methods. 74 consecutive total knee replacements were assessed intra-operatively for symmetry of the flexion gap by applying a varus and a valgus stress and digitally recording the opening with a computer assisted navigation system. External rotation of the femoral component according to the bony landmarks was measured radiologically. This was compared to the external rotation suggested by the navigation intra-operatively using a gap balanced workflow. Results. The gap balanced technique gave a symmetric flexion gap with less than 3 mm side to side difference in 95% of cases. In 84% of cases (62 of 74) the gap balanced technique was more accurate than the measured resection technique in determining femoral rotation. In 16 % of cases (12 of 74) the same rotation was measured with the two techniques. In no case was the measurement more accurate with the measured resection technique. This result was highly statistically significant. Conclusion. The gap balanced technique is more accurate than measured resection for determining axial rotation of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty. NO DISCLOSURES

INTRODUCTION. The restoration of physiological kinematics is one of the goals of a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Navigation systems have been developed to allow an accurate and precise placement of the implants. But its application to the intraoperative measurement of knee kinematics has not been validated. The hypothesis of this study was that the measurement of the knee axis, femoral rotation, femoral translation with respect to the tibia, and medial and lateral femorotibial gaps during continuous passive knee flexion by the navigation system would be different from that by fluoroscopy taken as reference. MATERIAL – METHODS. Five pairs of knees of preserved specimens were used. The e.Motion FP ® TKA (B-Braun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany) was implanted using the OrthoPilot TKA 4.3 version and Kobe version navigation system (B-Braun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany). Kinematic recording by the navigation system was performed simultaneously with fluoroscopic recording during a continuous passive flexion-extension movement of the prosthetic knee. Kinematic parameters were extracted from the fluoroscopic recordings by image processing using JointTrack Auto ® software (University of Florida, Gainesville, USA). The main criteria were the axis of the knee measured by the angle between the center of the femoral head, the center of the knee and the center of the ankle (HKA), femoral rotation, femoral translation with respect to the tibia, and medial and lateral femorotibial gaps. The data analysis was performed by a Kappa correlation test. The agreement of the measurements was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and its 95% confidence interval. RESULTS. The respective CCIs were as follows: HKA angle 0.839 [0.820; 0.856]; femoral translation 0.560 [0.517; 0.600]; femoral rotation 0.652 [0.616; 0.686]; medial femorotibial gap 0.905 [0.894; 0.916]; lateral femorotibial gap 0.767 [0.740; 0.791]. DISCUSSION. Measurements of TKA kinematics by the navigation system and by fluoroscopy were consistent for HKA angle and medial and lateral femorotibial gaps, but not for femoral translation and femoral rotation. These differences can be explained by a methodological bias. At the end of this work, the specific navigation system cannot be considered as a reliable instrument for measuring the kinematics of a TKA

Background. Authors sought to determine the degree of lateral condylar hypoplasia of distal femur was related to degree of valgus malalignment of lower extremity in patients who underwent TKA. Authors also examined the relationships between degree of valgus malalignment and degree of femoral anteversion or tibial torsion. Methods. This retrospective study included 211 patients (422 lower extremities). Alignment of lower extremity was determined using mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA) measured from standing full-limb AP radiography. mTFA was described positive value when it was valgus. Patients were divided into three groups by mTFA; more than 3 degrees of valgus (valgus group, n = 31), between 3 degrees of valgus to 3 degrees of varus (neutral group, n = 78), and more than 3 degrees of varus (varus group, n = 313). Condylar twisting angle (CTA) was used to measure degree of the lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia. CTA was defined as the angle between clinical transepicondylar axis (TEA) and posterior condylar axis (PCA). Femoral anteversion was measured by two methods. One was the angle formed between the line intersecting femoral neck and the PCA (pFeAV). The other was the angle formed between the line intersecting femoral neck and clinical TEA (tFeAV). Tibial torsion was defined as a degree of torsion of distal tibia relative to proximal tibia. It was determined by the angle formed between the line connecting posterior cortices of proximal tibial condyles and the line connecting the most prominent points of lateral and medial malleolus. Positive values represented relative external rotation. Negative values represented relative internal rotation. Results. Greater lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia was related to increased valgus alignment of lower extremity. Correlation coefficient between mTFA and CTA was 0.253 (p < 0.001). Valgus group showed increased CTA, which was 10.2° ± 1.9°. CTA was 7.4° ± 2.5° in neutral group and 6.6° ± 4.8° in varus group. There was significant positive correlation between the degree of valgus alignment and the degree of femoral anteversion (r = 0.145, p = 0.003). pFeAV was 16.7° ± 5.8° in valgus group, 12.1° ± 6.0° in neutral group and 10.9° ± 7.0° in varus group. There was no correlation between degree of valgus alignment and degree of femoral anteversion (r = 0.060, p = 0.218). In terms of tibial torsion, increased valgus malalignment was associated with increased tibial torsion (r = 0.374, p < 0.001). Valgus group showed increased tibial torsion than other groups. Tibial torsion was 32.6° ± 6.2° in valgus group, 26.3° ± 6.9° in neutral group and 22.6° ± 7.2° in varus group. Conclusions. Increased valgus alignment of lower extremity was related to greater lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia. However, increased valgus alignment was not related to degree of femoral anteversion whereas it was related to increased external tibial torsion. Our findings should be considered when determining proper rotational alignment in TKA

Dislocation is one of the most common complications in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and is primarily driven by bony or prosthetic impingement. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, to develop a simulation that incorporates the functional position of the femur and pelvis and instantaneously determines range of motion (ROM) limits. Second, to assess the number of patients for whom their functional bony alignment escalates impingement risk. 468 patients underwent a preoperative THA planning protocol that included functional x-rays and a lower limb CT scan. The CT scan was segmented and landmarked, and the x-rays were measured for pelvic tilt, femoral rotation, and preoperative leg length discrepancy (LLD). All patients received 3D templating with the same implant combination (Depuy; Corail/Pinnacle). Implants were positioned according to standardised criteria. Each patient was simulated in a novel ROM simulation that instantaneously calculates bony and prosthetic impingement limits in functional movements. Simulated motions included flexion and standing-external rotation (ER). Each patient's ROM was simulated with their bones oriented in both functional and neutral positions. 13% patients suffered a ROM impingement for functional but not neutral extension-ER. As a result, 48% patients who failed the functional-ER simulation would not be detected without consideration of the functional bony alignment. 16% patients suffered a ROM impingement for functional but not neutral flexion. As a result, 65% patients who failed the flexion simulation would not be detected without consideration of the functional bony alignment. We have developed a ROM simulation for use with preoperative planning for THA surgery that can solve bony and prosthetic impingement limits instantaneously. The advantage of our ROM simulation over previous simulations is instantaneous impingement detection, not requiring implant geometries to be analysed prior to use, and addressing the functional position of both the femur and pelvis

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to elucidate kinematic change according to the implant's specific femoral rotation by using orthosensor (Verasense) implant with three degrees external rotation of femoral rotation rebuilt (Genesis-II) and traditional TKA implant without rebuilt of the femoral rotation (Anthem). Methods. Twenty-eight patients (34 knees) underwent TKA using Anthem (Smith & Nephew, Memphis, TN, USA) and 16 patients (22 knees) underwent TKA using Genesis-II (Smith & Nephew, Memphis, TN, USA). Patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Mean age of patients was 71.1 years (range, 60 to 80 years) at the time of surgery. After implantation of femur and tibial components, we applied Verasense, the orthosensor system, to evaluate femoral rollback of the new artificial joint. Femoral rollback was analyzed using digitized screenshot function of Verasense. Results. Overall femoral tracking proportion regardless of implants was significantly higher on the medial compartment compared to that on the lateral compartment (13.3 ± 8.4% vs. 6.3 ± 5.0%, p < 0.001). Regarding femoral tracking according to each compartment, Genesis-II and Anthem showed 12.1 ± 8.2% and 14.2 ± 8.6% (p = 0.371) on the medial compartment and 8.0 ± 5.8% and 5.2 ± 4.2% (p = 0.059) on the lateral compartment, respectively. Conclusion. Our study showed reverse femoral roll-back movement with higher tracking distance on the lateral compartment during TKA. Genesis-II TKA system with femoral component 3-degree rebuilt showed less roll-back difference between medial and lateral compartments compared to traditional TKA system. Fortunately, both TKA systems had excellent short-term clinical outcomes without having significant difference between the two. With longer follow-up and larger cohort, the advantage and effectiveness of femoral component rotation can be elucidated in the future

Introduction. Several reports demonstrated the overcoverage of the anterior acetabulum. Anterior CE angle over 46°may be a probable risk factor for pincer FAI syndrome after a rotational acetabular osteotomy. In addition, a highly anteverted femoral neck, reported as a risk factor for posterior impingement, has been found in DDH patients. These findings indicate proper acetabular reorientation is essential to avoid anterior or posterior impingement after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acetabular three-dimensional (3D) alignment reorientation and clinical range of motion (ROM) after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). Methods. A total of 53 patients who underwent curved PAO (CPO) for DDH from January 2014 to April 2017 were selected. Three (5.7%) of them were lost to follow-up. Therefore, the data from 58 hips, contributed by 50 patients (44 women and 6 men), were included in the analysis. Pre- and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans from the pelvis to the knee joint were performed and transferred to a 3D template software (Zed Hip; Lexi, Tokyo, Japan). The pelvic plane axis was defined according to the functional pelvic plane. The pre- and postoperative lateral and anterior 3D center-edge (CE) angles were measured on the coronal and sagittal views through the center of the femoral head. The pre- and postoperative 3D center-edge (CE) angles and femoral anteversion were measured and compared with clinical outcomes, including postoperative ROM. Results. The radiographical outcomes of our study are demonstrated in Figure 1. The mean values of pre- and postoperative lateral CE angles were 12.6º±8.7 and 30.2º±9.7, respectively (p<0.001), and mean pre- and postoperative anterior CE angles were 42.4º±15.3 and 63.9º±12.1, respectively (p<0.001). Both CE angles were significantly improved. The correlation between pre- and postoperative acetabular coverage and postoperative ROM was evaluated. Postoperative abduction and internal rotation ROM were significantly associated with postoperative lateral CE angles (abduction; p < 0.001, internal rotation; p = 0.028); flexion and internal rotation ROM was significantly associated with postoperative anterior CE angles (flexion; p < 0.001, internal rotation; p = 0.028). Femoral anteversion was negatively correlated with postoperative abduction (p = 0.017) and external rotation (p = 0.047) ROM (Table 1). Postoperative abduction ROM was strongly positively correlated with femoral anteversion, whereas postoperative external rotation was strongly negatively correlated (Table 2). The total anteversion was strongly correlated with pre- or postoperative ROMs during flexion and internal rotation ROM (Table 2). Conclusion. Postoperativeanterior acetabular coverage may affect internal rotation ROM more than the lateral coverage. Therefore, the direction of acetabular reorientation should be carefully determined according to 3D alignment during PAO. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Both gap balancing and measured resection for TKA will work and these techniques are often combined in TKA. The only difference is really the workflow. The essential difference in gap balancing is that you determine femoral component rotation by cutting the distal femur and the proximal tibia, and then using a spacer to determine femoral rotation. I prefer measured resection because I am, for most cases, a cruciate retaining surgeon. It is not ideal to determine femoral rotation based upon a gap balancing if you retain the cruciate. It is also important to maintain the joint line, especially in cruciate retention, in order to reproduce more normal kinematics and balance the knee throughout the range of flexion and extension. It is my opinion that the soft tissue balancing is easier to do with measured resection and the workflow is easier. The sequence of cuts and soft tissue balance is different if one is a gap balancing surgeon. This is more conducive for people who are cruciate substituters, but more difficult in a varus cruciate retaining knee. In that situation, if you determine femoral rotation by gap balancing with the tibia before you have cleared the posterior medial osteophytes in the varus knee, and remove the last bit of meniscus, you could artificially over rotate the femoral component causing posteromedial laxity. The major difference is that cutting the posterior cruciate will open the flexion space and allow the surgeon easier access to the posteromedial corner of the knee before the posterior femoral cut is made. It is also important to remember that in most cases cruciate substitution surgeons will make the flexion space 2 mm smaller than the extension space to compensate for the flexion space opening when the posterior cruciate is cut. The extensor mechanism plays an important role in flexion balance and should only be tested once the patella is prepared and the patella is back in the trochlear groove. I prefer gap balancing in most revision knees as I am virtually always substituting for the posterior cruciate in that case. My technique for measured resection is to assess the character of the knee prior to surgery. Is it varus? Is it valgus? Does it hyperextend? Does it have a flexion contracture? Would the knee be considered tight or loose? I cut the distal femur first, based upon measured resection. I use anatomic landmarks to determine femoral rotation. My most consistent landmark is the transtrochlear line, which is not always from the top of the notch to the bottom of the trochlea. I will use the medial epicondyle and the posterior reference in a varus knee, but not in a valgus knee. The tibial cut, also by measured resection, is easier once the femur has been prepared. The patellar cut is also a measured resection. Having done a preliminary soft tissue balance based upon the deformity, I will then use trial components to finish the soft tissue balance. In summary, both techniques can be used successfully in a cruciate substituting knee, but measured resection, in my opinion, is preferable especially in varus arthritis when the posterior cruciate is retained

Introduction. Optimal implant position is the important factor in the hip stability after THA. Both the acetabular and femoral implants are placed in anteversion. While most hip dislocations occur either in standing position or when the hip is flexed, preoperative hip anatomy and postoperative implants position are commonly measured in supine position with CT scan. The isolated and combined anteversions of femoral and acetabular components have been reported in the literature. The conclusions are questionable as the reference planes are not consistent: femoral anteversion is measured according to the distal femoral condyles plane (DFCP) and acetabulum orientation in the anterior pelvic plane (APP)). The EOS imaging system allows combined measurements for standing position in the “anatomical” reference plane or anterior pelvic plane (APP) or in the patient “functional” plane (PFP) defined as the horizontal plane passing through both femoral heads. The femoral anteversion can also be measured conventionally according to the DFCP. The objective of the study was to determine the preoperative and postoperative acetabular, femoral and combined hip anteversions, sacral slope, pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt in patients who undergo primary THA. Material and Methods. The preoperative and postoperative 3D EOS images were assessed in 62 patients (66 hips). None of these patients had spine or lower extremity surgery other than THA surgery in between the 2 EOS assessments. None had dislocation within the follow up time period. Results. Pelvic values. The preoperative sacral slope was 42.4°(11° to 76°) as compared to the postoperative sacral slope (40.3°, −4° to 64°)(p=0.014). The preoperative pelvic tilt was 15.3° (−10° to 44°) as compared to the postoperative tilt (17.2°, −6° to 47°)(p=0.008). The preoperative pelvic incidence was 57.7°(34° to 93°) and globally unchanged as compared to the postoperative incidence (57.5°, 33° to 79°)(p=0.8). Acetabular values. Surgeons increased the anteversion according to the APP by an average of 12.6°(−13° to 53°)(p<0.001). Acetabular anteversion was increased by 14.3° in the PFP (−11° to 51°)(p<0.001). Femoral values. In the DFCP, preoperative neck anteversion was decreased postoperatively by an average of −3,2°(−48° to 33°)(p=0,0942). In the PFP, preoperative neck anteversion was decreased postoperatively by an average of −6,3°(−47° to 17°)(p<0,001). Combined values. According to the classical methods (acetabular orientation in the APP and femoral anteversion in the DFCP), mean preoperative combined anteversion was 36.1° (4° to 86°) and was increased postoperatively to 45.5°(−12° to 98°)(p=0.0003). According to the PFP, mean preoperative combined anteversion was 30,7°(5° to 68°) and was increased postoperatively to 38,8°(−10° to 72°)(p=0,0001). Conclusion. This study reports two methods for the measurement of acetabular and femoral anteversion, “anatomical” according to the APP and DFCP and “functional” according to the PFP. Surgeons tend to increase the anteversion of the acetabular implant and to decrease femoral anteversion during the surgery. The trend is the same for postoperative evolution of values using the “anatomical” or the “functional” methods but numerical discrepancies are explained by significant APP orientation changes. The assessment of the true combined anteversion provides new perspectives to optimize our understanding of THA stability and function

Introduction. 11%–19% of patients are unsatisfied with outcomes from Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). This may be due to problems of alignment or soft-tissue balancing. In TKA, often a neutral mechanical axis is established followed by soft tissue releases to balance and match the flexion/extension gaps with the distal femoral and proximal tibial resections at right angles to the mechanical axis. Potential issues with establishment of soft tissue balance are due to associated structures such as bone tissue of the knee, the static (or passive) stabilizers of the joint (medial and lateral collateral ligaments, capsule, and anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments), and the dynamic (or active) stabilizers around the knee. An optimized balance among these systems is crucial to the successful outcome of a TKA. Additionally, the importance of correct femoral rotation has been well documented due to its effect on patella alignment and flexion instability, range of motion, and polyethylene wear. There are several methods used in TKA procedures to establish femoral component rotation. The more prominent ones are a conventional method of referencing to the posterior condylar axis with a standard external rotation of 3° (PCR), anterior-posterior line or “Whiteside's line” (AP axis), transepicondylar axis (TEA) (Figure 1), and the gap balancing technique, however, it is not yet clear, which method is superior for femoral rotational component alignment. In the current study, we sought to investigate an alternative method based on soft-tissue, dynamic knee balancing (DKB) while using an alternative analysis approach. DKB dictates femoral component rotation on the basis of ligament balance and force measures. DKB has become more prominent in TKA surgeries. While retaining ligament balance in TKA, it is possible that this technique also leads to higher precision of rotational alignment to the anatomical axis. The primary objective of this study was to compare efficiency of DKB versus other methods for rotational implant alignment based on post-surgery computed tomography (CT). Methods. 31 patients underwent computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis with femoral rotation established via a flexion gap balance device (Synvasive eLibra). Alternative, hypothetical alignments were assessed based on anatomical landmarks during the surgery. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed to investigate post-surgery rotational alignment. Repeated measures ANOVA and Cochran's Q test were utilized to test differences between the DKB method and the other techniques. Results. Significant differences were observed between the DKB method and TEA method (p=0.02), between DKB and AP method (p=0.04), and DKB and PCR method (p=0.02): The DKB method showed the lowest rotational deviation from CT-determined true anatomical TEA (aTEA)(Figure 2). The DKB method established femoral rotation within ±3 more often than the other techniques (Figure 3), further analysis revealed a significant proportional difference between DKB and PCR method (p=0.01), between DKB and TEA (p=0.02) and DKB and AP (p=0.04). Conclusions. DKB showed promising results in our study regarding femoral rotation accuracy in comparison to other methods. DKB may be a valuable tool due to its ability to establish soft-tissue balance in addition to high accuracy of femoral rotation

Introduction. Range of motion (ROM) simulation of the hip is useful to understand the maximum impingement free ROM in total hip arthroplasty (THA). In spite of a complex multi-directional movement of the hip in daily life, most of the previous reports have evaluated the ROM only in specific directions such as flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and internal - external rotation at 0° or 90° of hip flexion. Therefore, we developed ROM simulation software (THA analyzer) to measure impingement free ROM in any positions of the hip. Recent designs of the hip implants give a wider ROM by increasing the head diameter and then, bone to bone impingement can be a ROM limit factor particularly in a combination of deep flexion, adduction and internal rotation of the hip. Therefore, the purpose of this study were to observe an individual variation in the pattern of the bone impingement ROM in normal hip bone models using this software, to classify the bone impingement ROM mapping types and to clarify the factors affecting the bone impingement type. Methods. The subjects were 15 normal hips of 15 patients. Three dimensional surface models of the pelvis and femur were reconstructed from Computer tomography (CT) images. We performed virtual hip implantation with the same center of rotation, femoral offset, and leg length as the original hips. Subsequently, we created the ROM mapping until bone impingement using THA analyzer. We measured the following factors influenced on the bone impingement map patterns; the neck shaft angle, the femoral offset, femoral anteversion, pelvic tilt, acetabular anteversion, sharp angle, and CE angle. These factors were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney U test, and statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results. According to the borderline of ROM at the flexion-internal rotation corner on the bone impingement map, the hips were classified into two groups; group-A showed more than 45° of the borderline slope at the flexion-internal rotation corner and the remaining hips were group-B. (Fig.1). There were 7 hips in group-A and 8 hips in group-B. Femoral offset was 36.8±2.2 mm in group-A and 30±2.7 mm in group-B. Femoral anteversion was 32±6.4° in-group A and 43 ±4.8° in group-B. There were statistically significant differences in the femoral offset and femoral anteversion between the groups. There were no significant differences in the other factors. Discussion. The results of this study showed various ROM map patterns even in normal hips and we classified them into two groups. An increased femoral offset or a decreased femoral anteversion revealed an early impinge in internal rotation. ROM until bone impingement is affected by the individual bone morphology. However, it is not easy to evaluate bony ROM in complex hip positions. THA analyzer shows the impingement position visually on the map and it is easy to understand the hip positions with reduced ROMs. Conclusion. There are two patterns on the bony ROM map in normal hips, and an early impinge in internal rotation occurred by increasing the femoral offset or decreasing the femoral anteversion. For figures/tables, please contact authors directly.

Introduction. The midcortical line, the midline between the anterior and the posterior cortical walls has been reported as an intraoperative reference guide for reproducing the true femoral anteversion in cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) image study but we suspected that the version of the midcortical line on the cutting surface is different from that on the axial image. The three-dimensional (3D) CT-based preoperative planning software for THA enabled us to evaluate the cut surface of the femoral neck osteotomy. When we planned the straight non-anatomic stem placement in 20° of anteversion, we noticed that the line connecting the trochanteric fossa and the middle of the medial cortex of the femoral neck (T line) was coincident with the component torsion in almost all cases except those involving secondary osteoarthritis of the hip. Therefore we hypothesised that the T-line would provide an accurate reference guide for anteversion of the femoral component in THA. We performed this study to answer the question: which is the better intraoperative reference guide for reproducing the true femoral anteversion, the midcortical line or the T line?. Materials and methods. The institutional review board allowed a retrospective review of CT images of 33 normal femora (33 patients) in our CT database. We performed virtual THA using the non-anatomic straight stem on the 3D CT-based preoperative planning software at the two different cutting heights of 10mm or 15mm above the lesser trochanter. The anteversion of the stem implanted parallel to the T line or the midcortical line was measured. The true femoral neck anteversion was measured using the single CT slice method reported by Sugano. Results. The mean true femoral anteversion was 16.9°±10.7°. We found strong positive correlations between the anteversion of the stem and the true femoral anteversion using the T-line at each cutting height (r=0.85 and r=0.92 in 10mm and 15mm cutting height respectively). The mean differences between the anteversion of the stem parallel to the T line and the true femoral anteversion were 3.5° (95% confidence interval; 1.38°–5.59°) and 2.7° (95% confidence interval; 1.15°–4.15°) in 10mm and 15mm cutting height respectively. The mean anteversion of the stem parallel to the midcortical line on the cut surface were −2.0° and −1.9° in 10mm and 15mm cutting height respectively and we could not implant the stem in some cases. Discussion. Theoretically, the anteversion of the stem using the T line is close to the true femoral anteversion because the trochanteric fossa is in line with the femoral canal, and the center of the medial cortex of the cutting surface faces the center of the femoral head, if the cutting height is not too low. Conclusion. The T line was a useful intraoperative reference guide for reproducing the true femoral anteversion and the midcortical line on the cut surface of the femoral neck was not a good intraoperative reference guide

Combined acetabular and femoral anteversion (CA) of the hip following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is critical to the hip function and longevity of the components. However, no study has been reported on the accuracy in restoration of CA of the hip after operation using robotic assistance and conventional free-hand techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if using robotic assistance in THA can better restore native CA than a free-hand technique. Twenty three unilateral THA patients participated in this study. Twelve of them underwent a robotic-arm assisted THA (RIO® Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System, Stryker Mako., Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA) and eleven received a free-hand THA. Subject specific 3D models of both implanted and non-implanted hips were reconstructed using post-operative CT scans. The anteversion and inclination of the native acetabulum and implanted cup were measured and compared. To determine the differences of the femoral anteversion between sides, the non-implanted native femur was mirrored and aligned with the remaining femur of the implanted side using an iterative closest point algorithm. The angle between the native femoral neck axis and the prosthesis neck axis in transverse plane was measured as the change in femoral anteversion following THA. The sum of the changes of the acetabular and femoral anteversion was defined as the change of CA after THA. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was performed to test if the anteversion of the navigation and free-hand THAs were different from the contralateral native hips (α = 0.05). The acetabular anteversion were 22.0°±7.4°, 35.9°±6.5° and 32.6°±22.6° for the native hips, robotic assisted THAs and free-hand THAs, respectively, and the corresponding values of the acetabular inclinations were 52.0°±2.9°, 35.4°±4.4° and 43.1°±7.1°. The acetabular anteversion was increased by 12.2°±11.1° (p=0.005) and 12.5°±20.0° (p=0.102) for the robotic assisted and the free-hand THAs. The femoral anteversion was increased by 6.3°±10.5° (p=0.077) and 11.0°±13.4° (p=0.014) for the robotic assisted and free-hand THAs, respectively. The CA were significantly increased by 18.5°±11.7° (p<0.001) and 23.5°±26.5° (p=0.019) for the robotic assisted and the free-hand THAs. The changes of the CA of the free-hand THAs varied in a larger range than those of the robotic assisted THAs. This study is the first to evaluate the changes in acetabular and femoral anteversions of the hips after robotic assisted and free-hand THAs using the contralateral native hip as a control. The results demonstrate that both the navigation and free-hand THAs significantly increased the CA compared to the contralateral native hips, but the changes of the robotic assisted THAs (18.5°±11.7°) were smaller and varied less than those of the free-hand THAs (23.5°±26.5°). These data suggest that the robotic assisted THA can better restore the native hip CAs with higher repeatability than the free-hand technique. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of the hip anteversion changes on the in-vivo function of the hip and the long-term outcomes in THA patients

Introduction. Most of studies on Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) are focused on acetabular cup orientation. Even though the literature suggests that femoral anteversion and combined anteversion have a clinical impact on THA stability, there are not many reports on these parameters. Combined anteversion can be considered morphologically as the addition of anatomical acetabular and femoral anteversions (Anatomical Combined Anatomical Anteversion ACA). It is also possible to evaluate the Combined Functional Anteversion (CFA) generated by the relative functional position of femoral and acetabular implants while standing. This preliminary study is focused on the comparison of the anatomical and functional data in asymptomatic THA patients. Material and methods. 50 asymptomatic unilateral THA patients (21 short stems and 29 standard stems) have been enrolled. All patients underwent an EOS low dose evaluation in standing position. SterEOS software was used for the 3D measurements of cup and femur orientation. Cup anatomical anteversion (CAA) was computed as the cup anteversion in axial plane perpendicular to the Anterior Pelvic Plane. Femoral anatomical anteversion (FAA) was computed as the angle between the femoral neck axis and the posterior femoral condyles in a plane perpendicular to femoral mechanical axis. Functional anteversions for the cup (CFA) and femur (FFA) were measured in the horizontal axial patient plane in standing position. Both anatomical and functional cumulative anteversions were calculated as a sum. All 3D measures were evaluated and compared for the repeatability and reproducibility. Statistical analysis used Mann-Whitney U-test considering the non-normal distribution of data and the short number of patients (<30 for each group). Results. Functional cumulative anteversion was significantly higher than anatomical cumulative anteversion for all groups (p<0.05). No significant difference could be noted between the cases according to the use of short or standard stems. Conclusion. This study shows the difference of functional implant orientation as compared to the anatomical measurements. This preliminary study has limitations. First the limited sample of patients. Then this series only includes asymptomatic subjects. Nevertheless, this work focused on the feasibility of the measurements shows the potential interest of a functional analysis of cumulated anteversion. Standing position influences the relative position of THA implants according to the frontal and sagittal orientation of the pelvis. The relevance of these functional measurements in instability cases must be demonstrated, especially in patients with anterior subluxation in standing position which is potentially associated with pelvic adaptative extension. Further studies are needed for the feasibility of measurements on EOS images in sitting position and their analysis in case of instability. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly

The “correct” rotational alignment and “normal” rotational alignment may not be the same position. Because of natural tibial plateau has average 3° varus but classical TKA method make tibial cut perpendicularly to tibial mechanical axis. Consequently femoral rotational compensation to 3° becomes necessary. While anatomical TKA method performed tibial cut in 3° varus. Then posterior femoral cut will be parallel to posterior condylar axis and component rotation theoretically should be aligned in natural anatomy. This study compares the rotational alignment between two methods. Study conducted on 80 navigated TKAs with modified gap technique. Intraoperative femoral rotation retrieved from navigation. Rotational alignment was calculated using the Berger protocol with postoperative computerised tomography scanning. The alignment parameters measured were tibial and femoral component rotations and the combined component rotations. 57 knees with PS design can be classified into 35 knees as anatomical group and 22 knees as classical group. 23 knees with CR design had 12 knees as anatomical group and 11 knees as classical group. The intraoperative femoral rotation in anatomical group had less external rotation than classical group significantly in PS design (0.77°±1.03° vs 2.86°±1.49°, p = 0.00) and also had the same results in CR design (1.33°±1.37°vs 2.64°±0.81°, p = 0.012). However, the postoperative excessive femoral and tibial component rotation compared with native value and combined rotation had no significant differences between classical and anatomical method in both implant design. Using CAS TKA with gap technique showed no difference in postoperative rotational alignment between classical and anatomical method

Introduction. Implant position plays a major role in the mechanical stability of a total hip replacement. The standard modality for assessing hip component position postoperatively is a 2D anteroposterior radiograph, due to low radiation dose and low cost. Recently, the EOS® X-Ray Imaging Acquisition System has been developed as a new low-dose radiation system for measuring hip component position. EOS imaging can calculate 3D patient information from simultaneous frontal and lateral 2D radiographs of a standing patient without stitching or vertical distortion, and has been shown to be more reliable than conventional radiographs for measuring hip angles[1]. The purpose of this prospective study was to compare EOS imaging to computer tomography (CT) scans, which are the gold standard, to assess the reproducibility of hip angles. Materials and Methods. Twenty patients undergoing unilateral THA consented to this IRB-approved analysis of post-operative THA cup alignment. Standing EOS imaging and supine CT scans were taken of the same patients 6 weeks post-operatively. Postoperative cup alignment and femoral anteversion were measured from EOS radiographs using sterEOS® software. CT images of the pelvis and femur were segmented using MIMICS software (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium), and component position was measured using Geomagic Studio (Morrisville, NC, USA) and PTC Creo Parametric (Needham, MA). The Anterior Pelvic Plane (APP), which is defined by the two anterior superior iliac spines and the pubic symphysis, was used as an anatomic reference for acetabular inclination and anteversion. The most posterior part of the femoral condyles was used as an anatomic reference for femoral anteversion. Two blinded observers measured hip angles using sterEOS® software. Reproducibility was analysed by the Bland-Altman method, and interobserver reliability was calculated using the Cronbach's alpha (∝) coefficient of reliability. Results. The Bland-Altman analysis of test-retest reliability indicated that the 95% limits of agreement between the EOS and CT measurements ranged from −3° to 4° for acetabular inclination, from −5° to 5° for acetabular anteversion, and from −7° to 2° for femoral anteversion. The average difference between EOS measurements and CT measurements was 2° ± 2° for acetabular inclination, 3°± 2° degrees for acetabular anteversion and 4° ± 4° femoral anteversion. Interobserver agreement was good for acetabular inclination (Cronbach's α = 0.55), acetabular anteversion (Cronbach's α = 0.76) and femoral components (Cronbach's α = 0.98) using EOS imaging. Conclusions. EOS imaging can accurately and reliably measure hip component position, while exposing patients to a much lower dose of radiation than a CT scan

Introduction. Appropriate femoral stem anteversion is an important factor in maintaining stability and maximizing the performance of the bearing after total hip replacement (THR). The anteversion of the native femoral neck has been shown to have a significant effect on the final anteversion of the stem, particularly with a uncemented femoral component. The aim of this study was to quantify the variation in native femoral neck anteversion in a population of patients requiring total hip replacement. Methods. Pre-operatively, 1215 patients received CT scans as part of their routine planning for THR. Within the 3D planning, each patient's native femoral neck anteversion, measured in relation to the posterior condyles of the knee, was determined. Patients were separated into eight groups based upon gender and age. Males and females were divided by those under 55 years of age, those aged 55 to 64, 65 to 74 and those 75 or older. Results. The median anteversion in males was 12.7° (−27.1°–45.5°, IQR 6.0°–19.1°), compared to female anteversion of 16.0° (− 14.0°–54.5°, IQR 9.7°– 22.4°). These gender differences were statistically significant, p < 0.0001. Femoral anteversion in young males (<55) was significantly higher than in older males (>75), p=0.002. This age-related difference approached significance in females, p = 0.06. 14% of patients had extreme anteversion (<0° or >30°). Conclusions. The Native femoral neck anteversion in patients requiring THR is widely variable, with a range of over 80°. Females have more anteverted femurs than males. Femoral anteversion in young males was significantly higher than in older males. This age-related difference approached significance in females. Having an understanding of 3D patient morphology can greatly assist in pre-operative planning of THR, as post-op stem anteversion is likely influenced by the anteversion of the native femoral neck